News / Local
Bulawayo seeks more land to bury its dead
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Bulawayo City Council has revealed plans to designate a portion of Good Hope Farm for burial services, as the city's cemeteries have run out of burial space, according to the latest council minutes.
The minutes indicate that the town planning department reported a growing need for additional burial sites, as local cemeteries such as Luveve and Umvutcha have reached full capacity. To address this, the council intends to open up new cemetery sites to meet the increasing demand.
A section of the city's Masterplan earmarked Good Hope Farm, located to the north of the city center, as a potential cemetery site. The farm, currently not used for agricultural purposes, spans 43 hectares and is owned by the City of Bulawayo. A deeds search confirmed that the land was suitable for the project, as Subdivision B of Mapani is government-owned, while Umvutcha B is privately held.
The proposed cemetery site can accommodate up to 80,000 graves, located approximately 17 kilometers from the city center. However, the minutes highlight the need for infrastructure upgrades to facilitate access, including the rehabilitation of Victoria Falls Road, Sterling Road, and Bulawayo Drive. A new 6.7-kilometer road would need to be constructed to support the increased traffic to the site.
Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo raised concerns about the Marvel and Pumula South cemeteries, which were previously gazetted but are not operational. The Pumula South Cemetery is located in a rocky area, making grave production difficult, while the Marvel Cemetery has limited access, especially from Harare Road. To address these issues, the council recommended that the 43-hectare portion of Good Hope Farm be handed over to the Health Services Department for further action and development.
Bulawayo has been grappling with a shortage of burial space following the decommissioning of West Park, Luveve, Athlone, and Hyde Park cemeteries. Burials are still taking place at these sites, but only in reserved graves or as second interments.
The council's proposal for the new cemetery is seen as a crucial step in addressing the city's ongoing burial space crisis.
The minutes indicate that the town planning department reported a growing need for additional burial sites, as local cemeteries such as Luveve and Umvutcha have reached full capacity. To address this, the council intends to open up new cemetery sites to meet the increasing demand.
A section of the city's Masterplan earmarked Good Hope Farm, located to the north of the city center, as a potential cemetery site. The farm, currently not used for agricultural purposes, spans 43 hectares and is owned by the City of Bulawayo. A deeds search confirmed that the land was suitable for the project, as Subdivision B of Mapani is government-owned, while Umvutcha B is privately held.
Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo raised concerns about the Marvel and Pumula South cemeteries, which were previously gazetted but are not operational. The Pumula South Cemetery is located in a rocky area, making grave production difficult, while the Marvel Cemetery has limited access, especially from Harare Road. To address these issues, the council recommended that the 43-hectare portion of Good Hope Farm be handed over to the Health Services Department for further action and development.
Bulawayo has been grappling with a shortage of burial space following the decommissioning of West Park, Luveve, Athlone, and Hyde Park cemeteries. Burials are still taking place at these sites, but only in reserved graves or as second interments.
The council's proposal for the new cemetery is seen as a crucial step in addressing the city's ongoing burial space crisis.
Source - Southern Eye
